146 CRASHES IN
IOWA, IA
2015

In 2015, motorists comprised the vast majority of casualties, with 1 motorist killed and 34 injured in traffic crashes. There were no pedestrian fatalities or injuries recorded. One cyclist was injured during the year.

Crashes in Chickasaw County occurred most frequently on Mondays, with 30 incidents reported, and during the 5 p.m. hour, which saw 14 crashes. Analysis by month shows a peak in November with 25 crashes. A notable pattern emerges from lighting conditions, where 35 crashes (24.0% of the total) happened after dark on unlit roadways.

The majority of crashes, 117 out of 146 (80.1%), resulted in no injuries and were limited to property damage. There were 28 crashes involving minor, serious, or possible injuries. One crash was fatal, resulting in one fatality.

The most frequently cited contributing factor in crashes was 'Animal,' which was involved in 65 incidents, accounting for 44.5% of all crashes. Following this, 'Lost Control' was noted in 12 crashes (8.2%), and 'Ran off road - left' was a factor in 8 crashes (5.5%).

A significant number of crashes occurred in seemingly ideal conditions, with 53.4% (78 crashes) on dry roads and 47.3% (69 crashes) in clear weather. Crashes during daylight hours accounted for 45.9% (67) of the total. Conversely, adverse conditions were also present, with 35 crashes (24.0%) occurring on unlit dark roadways and 13 crashes (8.9%) on snow-covered surfaces.

Analysis of persons involved in crashes shows the most represented age groups were 45-54 years old (42 individuals) and 55-64 years old (41 individuals). Among the 208 vehicles involved, the most frequent makes were Chevrolet (39 vehicles), Ford (29 vehicles), and Dodge (15 vehicles).

The primary major cause identified in crash reports was 'Animal,' cited in 65 incidents, or 44.5% of the total. Other significant causes included 'Lost Control,' which was a factor in 12 crashes (8.2%), and 'Ran off road - left,' noted in 8 crashes (5.5%).

The most common first harmful event was a 'Collision with: Animal,' recorded in 64 crashes. The second most frequent event was a 'Collision with: Vehicle in traffic,' which occurred in 40 crashes. Collisions with fixed objects, such as a ditch or tree, and non-collision events like rollovers were less frequent.

Crashes were most likely to occur on non-intersection road segments, which accounted for 67 incidents. Four-way intersections were the most common junction type for crashes, with 16 occurrences, followed by T-intersections with 9 crashes. Incidents related to driveway access were noted in 9 crashes.

Passenger cars were the most common vehicle type involved in crashes, with 77 units recorded. Light trucks and pickups were the second most frequent with 48 units, followed by Sport Utility Vehicles with 36 units. Commercial tractor-trailers were involved in 7 instances, and motorcycles were involved in 3.

The vast majority of crashes, 127 out of 146, occurred in areas with no traffic controls present. In locations with controls, stop signs were associated with 17 crashes and traffic signals with 15 crashes.

Frontal impacts were the most common area of vehicle damage, with 50 vehicles sustaining damage to the front and an additional 31 to the front corners. Rear-end damage was recorded for 14 vehicles, while various side impacts were also frequently documented.

Within Chickasaw County, the city of New Hampton recorded the highest volume of crashes with 44 incidents. The city of Nashua had the second-highest count with 27 crashes, followed by Fredericksburg with 4 crashes.

Of the crashes where road surface type was recorded, 126 occurred on paved roads. A notable portion, 16 crashes or approximately 11.3% of those with known surface types, took place on unpaved surfaces such as gravel or dirt roads.

A roadway factor was identified as a contributor in a minority of crashes. 'Surface condition,' such as wet or icy roads, was cited in 15 incidents. 'Work Zone' related factors were noted in 2 crashes.

The most common estimated property damage cost was in the $1,500 to $7,500 range, accounting for 113 crashes. A smaller number of incidents resulted in higher costs, with 27 crashes causing between $7,500 and $25,000 in damage, and 3 crashes exceeding $25,000 in damage.

Single-vehicle, non-collision events were the dominant manner of collision, comprising 83 crashes or 56.8% of the total. Among multi-vehicle crashes, broadside collisions were most frequent with 18 incidents (12.3%), closely followed by rear-end collisions with 17 incidents (11.6%).

The most common pre-crash action for vehicles involved was 'Movement essentially straight,' recorded for 131 of the 208 vehicles. Other frequent actions included 'Turning left' (12 vehicles) and being 'Stopped in traffic' (10 vehicles).

Of the 244 individuals involved in crashes, the vast majority, 234 people (95.9%), were drivers. Passengers accounted for 9 individuals, and one person was identified as a bicyclist.

Across all individuals involved in crashes, there was 1 fatality recorded. In addition, 6 people sustained serious injuries, 17 had minor injuries, and 12 had possible injuries, for a total of 35 injured persons.

Among the participants for whom safety equipment use was documented, 22 were recorded as using a shoulder and lap belt. Six individuals were recorded as using no safety equipment.

Single-vehicle crashes were the most common type, accounting for 85 of the 146 total incidents (58.2%). Two-vehicle collisions were also frequent with 60 occurrences, while only one crash involved three vehicles.